The Lock
by Jeremiah Legacy
Summary: Sometimes, the only people we outsmart is ourselves. Timmy's about to learn.


I needed a break from the intensity of my current story, Touch the Soul, Bear the Sentence_._ So here is a fun one-shot that is about being careful what you wish for.

The Lock

Timmy Turner was happy. It had been two years since he got his fairies, which meant a Fairyversary Muffin. But to get it, he just had to finish the rest of the school day. Even that seemed to be going well; the teacher was giving no homework, and even Trixie, who usually ignored him, called him by his name. Sure, the sentence was, "Timmy, not today." But that was something; he was wearing her down.

But although there was no homework, there was still discussion in the class on the Middle Ages, and this one was about an old folklore.

"The legend goes about the man who was such a good locksmith that nobody ever picked his locks," she said. "It was said that even he couldn't pick the locks."

Chester shot his hand up. "So what happened to him? Did anyone ever pick it?"

The teacher smiled. "Funny thing. The locksmith tried his hand at stealing, and when he got caught, he bragged that no prison could hold him. After all, he was a locksmith. But when he got to his cell, he discovered, " then she paused.

Timmy blurted out, "Discovered what?"

The teacher continued. "According to the jailer's journal, the locksmith-turned-thief yelled out 'I made this lock myself.' Before resigning himself to his fate."

Sanjay then asked the teacher, in a disinterested voice, "Did that really happen? It seems to far-fetched."

The teachers smiled again and looked at every person in the class before answering. "The jailer wrote that. He may have made the story up, but it's not too far from what _could_ happen. After all, how many times have we been undone by the very plans we thought we did?"

The bell rang, and the teacher dismissed everybody. As Timmy walked down the hallway, about to leave the school, he heard a voice behind him. The high squeal that he knew and dreaded.

"TIMMY!"

He instinctively made his way to the door and broke into a full sprint, determined to keep his distance from Tootie. _She's not catching me today!_ He kept running, being chased by his biggest fan, hearts in her eyes. He cried out, "Cosmo! Wanda! Help me!"

They poofed into his hands, speaking louder than a pencil and eraser should. "What's wrong?" they asked at the same time.

Timmy exclaimed, "Tootie's chasing me again."

Cosmo chuckled. "Then stop running."

Timmy glared at him. "And how does that help me?"

Cosmo glared back, irritated at such a _stupid_ question. "Well, if you're not running, Tootie can't really chase you, can she?" Wanda just looked at her husband, stupefied.

Timmy responded, "But then she's caught me. I can't have that. I wish Tootie was at home." They waved their wands and a very love-struck girl became a very love-struck and confused girl running into her front door. He sighed in relief as he got to his home and went straight upstairs to wait for his Muffin.

When Jorgen van Strangle handed Timmy the Fairyversary Muffin, it seemed … smaller.

"What gives?" Timmy asked, irritated.

Jorgen glared down at him. "Puny Timmy Turner, we are having budget cutbacks," he roared. Then, calmer, he said, "So the Fairyversary Muffins can grant only one rules-free wish. We have to watch our spending. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take the Fairy Council on their annual retreat to Las Vegas." He poofed out, leaving behind a cloud of "BAD DECISIONS, HERE WE COME!" in the smoke before it faded.

Timmy looked at the muffin. "Well, I guess one rules-free wish is better than none. But what should I wish for?"

Cosmo blurted out, "A pony."

Wanda waved her wand and an anvil dropped on his head. "Whatever you want, sport," she said, smiling. "You earned it. But you should think about it carefully. After all, rules-free tends to take the easiest way. Maybe wishing for a certain girl to notice you."

Timmy smiled. "Yeah, Trixie would have to fall in love with me. But," he paused. "That wouldn't be right. I mean if she only loved me because I made her, that wouldn't be OK. Besides, I'm making progress. She now knows my name. Now, if only I could get rid of Tootie."

Cosmo smiled. "Oh. I see where this is going!" He poofed up a bag and started pulling out pieces of metal.

Timmy smiled back. "Yeah, if she had some other boy that was crazy about her, she would forget all about me."

Cosmo's smile faded. "OK, I didn't see where this was going, " he said, embarrassed and quickly hiding the sniper rifle he was assembling.

Wanda smiled at her godson's maturity, but had a nagging feeling this would somehow go wrong; after all, this was a wish Timmy was making. "And if she liked him back, then they would both be happy."

Timmy smirked and said in his "I have a plan" voice, "And I can pursue Trixie unhindered." He held the muffin in his hand. "And I have a foolproof way to make it happen. A carefully worded, rules-free wish." He smiled wider.

He began. "I wish that there was a boy who liked, no loved Tootie. I wish he was madly in love with Tootie. That he would treat her right, never hurt her, never betray her, or even be able to seriously consider it. And that he knows her faults, but loves her anyway." He almost took a bite, then stopped and continued. "And that he only had eyes for her." He almost took a bite again, then stopped and continued. _Almost forgot the most important part. _"And that she loved him back the same way." He put the muffin to his lips, as his godparents watched and smiled, and then he stopped again. "And that this takes effect the tomorrow, the first time they look at each other in the eyes." He smiled wickedly, not at his godparents, but their wands. "And that there was no way to reverse it. Not time, no other people, no fairy magic, not even Cupid or a rules-free wish could undo it."

"Um, Timmy, you sure you really want to," Wanda interjected, but Timmy ate the muffin in two bites before she could finish. He smiled when he finished his muffin, knowing he did a good deed and took away the distraction from winning the heart of Trixie Tang. Cosmo looked on with pride, wiping away a tear.

"It's so perfect, Timmy," he said, grinning from war to ear. "Absolutely nothing can go wrong with a wish worded like that."

Confident in his plan, Timmy fell asleep, smiling.

6 am came with the sun shining in his face. Timmy got up early, smiling. _My first day of freedom_, he thought to himself. He quickly got dressed and ate his bowl of Scary Enemies cereal before leaving early to catch the bus. As he began the walk, he heard the familiar squeal he had come to know and fear.

"TIMMY!"

He smiled inside. _For the last time, you'll chase me_, he chuckled to himself. _Because today, you'll find love that is all for you, so I can finally pursue mine._ He ran, not even looking back. He ran around the corner, along with the green and pink squirrels that followed him, and she kept in hot pursuit. She seemed to be catching up, slowly but surely. Running off the road and through the park, he glanced behind him and saw Tootie running, trying to catch up to her beloved Timmy. He saw the desperation and eagerness in her eyes. _Her beautiful violet eyes that look right through you into your soul_, he thought, concern starting to overtake him. _Where did THAT come from? Why am I slowing down? What is wrong_?

He remembered the wish. The carefully worded wish, the one meant to have Tootie and another boy fall in love. _Except, I didn't say "other boy", just "a boy". OK, gotta calm down, fight this urge, come up with a plan, why am I slowing down even more?_

As he kept slowing, feeling his heart being taken over by affection toward his stalker, he smiled. "Cosmo, Wanda, I wish to undo last night's wish."

Wanda smirked. "You mean the one that you specifically said couldn't be undone by anything?"

Timmy gulped; he outsmarted himself. The last thing he yelled out before the last of his resistance broke and he turned and ran back toward Tootie, intent on returning her love was, "I made this lock myself!"


End file.
